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The Commons on Champa Founding Partners

The Commons Impact Report JANUARY 1, 2016 TO MARCH 31, 2016

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................1

By the Numbers ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

By Month the Number of People That Attended Events & Programs .............................................................................. 2

Event Count by Promoting Organization Type .................................................................................................................. 3

Top 10 Events That Have Been Held at The Commons ..................................................................................................... 3

Companies That Have Hosted Events at The Commons:.................................................................................................. 4

The Commons on Champa Programming .............................................................................................................................. 6

Programming and Resources Offered at The Commons ................................................................................................... 6

Ways to Get Involved ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

InCommons Mentorship Program ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Military Veterans Programming .......................................................................................................................................... 8

Women Entrepreneurs Programming ................................................................................................................................. 8

Highlights for Next Quarter ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

Programs & Partners.............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Events ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

The Office of Economic Development Programming.......................................................................................................... 10

Events and Programs held by the Office of Economic Development ............................................................................ 10

OED@Commons 1-on-1 Advisory Hours ........................................................................................................................... 10

Social Growth - #CommonsDenver ........................................................................................................................................ 11

Commons Twitter ................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Commons Facebook ............................................................................................................................................................. 11

What The Community Has to Say About The Commons .................................................................................................... 12

"For the Community, By the Community" - Community Partners ..................................................................................... 13

Founding Partners ................................................................................................................................................................ 13

Community Partners Who Helped Build The Space ........................................................................................................ 13

Community Partners Committed to Programming & Ongoing Support ...................................................................... 14

Tenants at The Commons ................................................................................................................................................... 14

News & Press ............................................................................................................................................................................. 15

There are many exciting things happening each day at The Commons – Here’s a little preview! .................................. 17

PAGE 1 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

Introduction

Dear Partners and Friends,

As we quickly approach, the one year anniversary of the opening of The Commons on Champa, we have to take a moment to look at where we came from, how we are staying true to our mission of fostering Denver’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship and give thanks to the amazing community that has embraced our crazy idea and helped make our dream a reality. Since opening on May 13, 2015 over 16,000 people have been a part of our community by attending events and programs, working in the space and learning about everything The Commons has to offer. The Downtown Denver Partnership has forged a partnership with the Colorado Technology Association (CTA) and City and County of Denver to make this vision a reality. Per our vision, The Commons emphasizes inclusivity and expands access for entrepreneurs in all industries through high quality programming, advanced technology, networking and other resources at low- to no-cost. The vision for The Commons is to be a trusted partner in growing and building companies in Colorado to ensure that Denver remains one of the best places in the country to start and grow a business, and highlight the innovation happening in our city. In the first year we have focused on building community, creating awareness and partnering with the community to amplify the collaboration between organizations and bring all the startup resources together. This vision has become a reality over the last 11 months, as we have hosted more than 240 events and programs, of which 83% were free and open to anyone interested in attending. This model is certainly not one that we have seen before, but it is working thanks to you. The Commons was brought to life with the support of 39 partner organizations. Most notably, partners including Comcast, JP Morgan Chase, PCL Construction, Liberty Global and the Quarterly Forum generously supported the renovation and creation of The Commons. We are continuing to bring on great partners like US Bank, NAI Shames Makovsky, Brad Feld and the Boettcher Foundation to help support our ongoing programming efforts. The last quarter at The Commons has been a whirlwind filled with a number of exciting firsts, and has featured the launch of our “InCommons” Mentorship Program, new partnerships with the US Patent and Trademark Office and the US Small Business Administration, Leadership Spotlight Series featuring founders from a variety of different industries, programs with the community’s leading universities, and educational programs aimed at accelerating Denver’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. We have also kicked off successful programs focused on women in entrepreneurship and veterans in tech. The Commons is also home to several leading meetups and other programs in partnership with like-minded organizations such as the Denver Office of Economic Development, Innosphere, Patriot Boot Camp, The Rose Community Foundation, 1776, and more! We thank you for your support of The Commons, and our ongoing effort to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that supports our diverse and remarkable community. As we were planning to open The Commons on Champa a year ago, we thought we were starting something great. Now, thanks to all of you, we know we have. The Commons team has no doubt that the best is yet to come – and we cannot wait to continue to share it with you. Sincerely, Tami Door Erik Mitisek Paul Washington President & CEO President & CEO Executive Director Downtown Denver Partnership Colorado Technology Association Denver Office of Economic Development

PAGE 2 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

201, 83%

39,16%

FREE VS. PAID EVENTS

Free Paid

10241287

10181385

4535*

1195 1125845

1041 1031

1515

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Visitors By Month

By the Numbers

OVERVIEW

Designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in Denver, The Commons has hosted over 16,000 people at more than 240 events and programs, of which 83% were free to attend.

Over 109 partner organizations have helped produce events and programs.

Of the 240 events, 62 were held by non-profits and 35 were organized by Meetups.

Approximately, 1,024 people have attended events designed to support Women Entrepreneurs, International Assistance, Diversity in Tech, Military Veteran Entrepreneurs and Students.

Over 72 community service providers are currently in the Denver Startup Resource Navigator.

The top three resources searched were Business Planning, Mentoring and Economic Development.

Since opening day, The Commons social media following has grown by 328%.

The QF Innovation Lounge hosts an average of 85 people per week that are working or meeting in an

informal setting and the conference rooms are used for meetings on an average of 45-75 times per week.

BY MONTH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED EVENTS & PROGRAMS

* The Commons hosted 19 events

during Denver Startup Week

PAGE 3 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

Association, 9

For Profit, 31

Foundation, 1

Government, 22

Media, 1

Meetup, 35

Nonprofit, 62

Partner, 62

Sponsor, 4

Tenant, 6Education, 6

EVENT COUNT BY PROMOTING ORGANIZATION TYPE

TOP 10 EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD AT THE COMMONS

Name of Event Promoting Organization Attendees

Denver Startup Week Sessions (19 total) Denver Startup Week 3144

The Commons Grand Opening The Commons on Champa 800

Sip & Connect Colorado Technology Association 485

Clinicas and Events Focused on Entrepreneurship in

North America Biennials of America 300

COIN Summit Dinner Colorado Innovation Network 300

Winter Holiday Bash Denver Founders 250

Rework America Press Conference - Featuring LinkedIn

Founder, Alan Blue and Governor John Hickenlooper Colorado Technology Association 220

ChallengeHER – Women Impacting Public Policy U.S. Small Business Administration 184

Marketing Roundtable Hubspot 175

1776 Challenge Cup Local Denver The Commons on Champa 150

PAGE 4 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

COMPANIES THAT HAVE HOSTED EVENTS AT THE COMMONS*:

The Commons is dedicated to democratizing access to entrepreneurship and ensuring that the space is enjoyed by

groups from all industries throughout the community. Most of the events held at the Commons represent a vast

cross-section of the Denver Community and will continue to do so, and a vast majority of these events are free and

open to the public. Thanks to the companies who have hosted events at The Commons for the community to enjoy.

1776 Handshakin Holmes Meetup

Active Soul LLC Healthgrades

AXS Group House of Genius

Best Year Yet Hubspot

Beta Arts Innosphere*

Biennials of America Inspirer

Bike Denver Jennifer Ford

Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network* JG Johnson Architects*

Business Marketing Association JP Morgan Chase*

CTLF KidsTek*

Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Alliance* Liberty Global*

Canadian Consulate Linx*

Caroline Joy Communications Markle Foundation

Cartasite Office of Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock*

Community College of Denver Metroleads

Cities Project Metro Volunteers

Code Across America Mile High Young Professionals

Colorado Innovation Network National Autism Group

Colorado Bioscience Association Nexus Global

Colorado Crowdfunding Meetup Nimble

Colorado Cyber Initiative Nurse Family Partnership

Colorado Fashion Week Office of Economic Development*

Colorado Technology Association* OEDIT

Comcast* Open Media Foundation

Confluence Business Solutions Otten Johnson / Confluence Denver

Conscious Capitalism Meetup Patty Beach

Crowdfunding Meetup Pitch Camp Meetup

Cushman Wakefield Prime Health

Denver Association of Business Economists Quarterly Forum*

PAGE 5 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

Live State of the Union from the United

States Secretary of Commerce, Penny

Pritzker as she talked about Clean Tech

with Erik Mitisek, CEO of Colorado

Technology Association.

DATA Rework America

Denver Center for the Performing Arts Rockies Venture Club

Denver Business Series Rose Community Foundation

Denver Digerati SEO Meetup

Denver Founders She Says

Denver New Tech Meetup Sister Cities

Denver Parks & Recreation Sovenco

Denver Public Library Startup Colorado

Denver Startup Week* Tampa Chamber

Denver Think Global Institute Teknion

Downtown Denver Partnership* The Colorado Education Initiative

Denver Public Schools Think Global Institute

Eat Denver* ThoughtBot

Ellevate TiE Rockies

Ello Turing School

Emily Griffith Technical College Urban Land Institute

Entrepreneurs Organization US Department of Education

Feed Media US Patent and Trademark Office

Founders Institute US Small Business Administration

General Assembly Wallace Marketing Group

GIS Colorado Wayin

Green Lane Project World Denver

*Community Partner of The Commons on Champa

PAGE 6 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

The Commons on Champa Programming

The Commons vision is to be a trusted partner in growing and building companies in Colorado and to

ensure that Denver remains one of the best places in the country to start and grow a business. The

Commons also exists to highlight the innovation happening in our center city. In the first year The

Commons has focused on building community, creating awareness and partnering with the community to

amplify the collaboration between organizations to bring all the startup resources together.

PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCES OFFERED AT THE COMMONS

The Commons on Champa is a gathering place where entrepreneurs come together to learn, share ideas and drive

each other forward in the following categories:

1. QF Innovation Lounge – Free WiFi & Coffee, open to the Public, Monday – Friday from 9am to 5pm 2. Denver Startup Resource Navigator – A online resource that connects entrepreneurs to a variety of

resources and services available in Denver 3. Office of Economic Development Advisory Hours – Daily 4. Resources with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 5. InCommons Mentorship– Launched on March 1st 6. Leadership Spotlight Series – Monthly event where leaders and founders share stories and lessons learned 7. Commons 101: Introduction to the Denver Startup Community – Monthly introduction to all The Commons

has to offer 8. Women Entrepreneurs, Military Veterans and Minority

Business Programming 9. Signature Events: Denver Startup Week, 1776 Challenge Cup,

Jumpstart Biz Plan Awards, etc. 10. Meetups and Community-led Workshops– Weekly 11. Conference Room Rentals and Meetings – Our state-0f-the-

art facilities are available for rent to allow companies to utilize the space for a low-cost

12. Oblong Mezzanine system and state-of-the-art technology

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Want to get involved at the Commons? There are many ways to stay updated and help us make an impact:

1. Take a Virtual Tour of The Commons via Google Business View 2. Join the InCommons Mentorship Program or Refer a Mentor 3. Sign up for the Commons Email Newsletter 4. Attend Events – Check out the events calendar to learn more 5. Rent a Desk in the innovative workspace on the second floor 6. Invest in a Cause - Women in Entrepreneurship, Veterans in Technology, Makers, etc. 7. Come for a Tour - We’d love to show you around and tell you more 8. Work in the Lounge – Open Monday through Friday from 9am – 5pm 9. Spread the Word – Help us tell the story of the Commons!

PAGE 7 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

INCOMMONS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

On March 1st, The Commons launched the "InCommons" Mentorship Program which gives up-and-coming

and established entrepreneurs an opportunity to connect one-on-one with some of the community’s most

successful business leaders, innovators, and investors.

InCommons hopes to help entrepreneurs find impactful knowledge and resources, gain experience and

insight as well as relationships that will help grow their businesses here in Denver through both a robust

online tool and monthly Mentor Hours.

The digital platform makes it easy to launch and manage a mentor program within The Commons through the

following ways:

1. One to One - Simple matching for mentors and mentees

2. Mentor Groups - Group mentoring for dedicated teams

3. A Forum for Online Resources & Discussion (industry specific)

4. Tools for Collaborative Goal Setting

In less than 30 days, the InCommons community has grown to:

102 COMMUNITY MEMBERS & PROTEGES

80+ MENTORS

If you would like to join the community, please sign up here.

PAGE 8 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

MILITARY VETERANS PROGRAMMING

The Commons is supporting the growing military veteran entrepreneur

community in Denver by partnering with leaders and organizations in the

community to provide programming to support military veterans.

The Commons is working towards becoming a nexus of information and a

community for veterans by leading the conversation about how we can help

veterans transitioning into the startup community and workforce, and why it’s

an important conversation to be having.

The Commons has worked with Patriot Boot Camp, Skill Distillery, The Good Agency, Hyprloco and Galvanize so

far and will be expanding their efforts and outreach by working with Secure Set, Valor Bridge, GenFit, Kota

Longboards, PV Ventures, VFW Post One, and many more like-minded organizations.

To-date, The Commons has co-hosted two events for military veteran

entrepreneurs including:

Veteran Mentor Madness – a networking event in January

Leadership Spotlight Series – Featuring leaders from Galvanize, HOSTING, Patriot Boot Camp and Skill Distillery

The Commons is excited to host the next quarterly Vets in Tech Happy Hour on April 21st at The Commons on Champa. If you are a military veteran, employ veterans or are a part of a community supporting veterans, please contact Amy Wofford at Amy@thecommons.co to get involved.

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS PROGRAMMING

The Commons kicked off programming in 2016 to support women entrepreneurs in

Denver with the support of Workplace ELEMENTS, the Downtown Denver

Partnership and First National Denver.

The kickoff event, Breaking Big: Taking Small Woman Owned Businesses to the

Next Level, featured a panel moderated by TaRhonda Thomas with 9News and

several highly successful entrepreneurial women in Denver including: Traci

Lounsbury, Workplace ELEMENTS; Nicole Smith, Mary’s Medicinals; Debbi

Warden, RubinBrown, LLP; and Annette Quintana, Istonish.

In March, the Office of Economic Development hosted a panel and conversation

about Women in the Boardroom and Civic Engagement. Over 200 women

attended these two events and The Commons is excited to dive deeper together

with partners on this important topic.

There are currently over 40 women in the InCommons mentor program, which will

be a great resource to build the next generation of women leaders and

entrepreneurs in Colorado. For the remainder of 2016, The Commons will continue

to build out the programming with community partners including Women Who

Startup, ELEMENTS, the Downtown Denver Partnership, and more.

PAGE 9 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

Highlights for Next Quarter

The Commons is a gathering place where entrepreneurs come together to learn, share ideas and drive

each other forward. For the next quarter, The Commons is excited about offering ongoing programming,

signature events, mentorship, a job fair, one year anniversary and more.

Read more about why The Commons is excited for the next quarter below:

PROGRAMS & PARTNERS

Colorado Advanced Manufacturing Alliance and Manufacturer’s Edge have both moved in, and have active programming in the center for the community to participate in.

The InCommons Mentorship Program launched on March 1st, this program will host its first in-person mentor session in April and will continue to grow the community.

Community advisor hours and community resource workshops will continue at The Commons. More information is provided on The Commons event calendar.

Commons 101 kicked off in March and is offered monthly. This is a great introduction to The Commons.

The Commons is in conversation with local universities about engaging college students and providing a space for academic programming to happen off campus.

Plans to offer more programming dedicated to supporting military veteran and women entrepreneurs.

EVENTS

Leadership Spotlight Series March now April 19th at 3:00pm– Novo Coffee, Stem Ciders, and Ratio Brewing.

Leadership Spotlight Series April 24th at 12:00pm – Featuring Scott McNealy from Wayin.

Commons 101: An Introduction to the Denver Startup Community – April 13th at 4:00pm.

Get Hired – A Better Job Fair – April 14th at The Commons.

Vets in Tech Happy Hour -April 21st at 5:00pm – Presented by Skill Distillery and additional partners.

Save the Date! The Commons on Champa First Anniversary celebration will be on May 18th. Join us to celebrate a record-breaking year and hear more about our plans for year number two!

Ongoing community-led workshops, meetups, OED@Commons Advisory Hours and more.

Join The Commons newsletter to stay informed on upcoming events and programs.

PAGE 10 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

The Office of Economic Development Programming

The City of Denver's Office of Economic Development has been a key partner and uses The Commons as a platform to drive economic development and small business assistance in the Center City.

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS HELD BY THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OED@COMMONS 1-ON-1 ADVISORY HOURS

OED provides 1-on-1 advisory hours for startups and small businesses in Denver. Advisors represent both OED

business development representatives and external non-profits partners. Since October 1st, OED has held 101 1-on-1

Advisory Meetings with Denver entrepreneurs. The average satisfaction score was a 4.8 out of 5 rating.

OED@COMMONS BY THE NUMBERS

77% of the respondents represent companies with 5 employees or less

34% of the respondents were female

13% of the respondents self-identified as low/moderate income

9% of the respondents self-identified as minority

3% of the respondents self-identified as a veteran-owned company

28% of the respondents self-identified their industry as Business Services, 17% Maker/Manufacturer and 10% Restaurant/Retail

Event Name # of Attendees

OED Advisory Hours 101

JumpStart Biz Plan Awards 80

Women in the Boardroom 70

Small Biz Training (City & County of Denver) 60

U.S Department of Commerce 60

Leadership Spotlight Series 30

Transportation Trends 2016 26

Workforce Investment Board Recruitment Event 25

CO Active: International Opportunities 25

Certifiably Green 20

Denver Workshops on Technology Entrepreneurship 19

Supply Chain Management Series 26

Visit Denver (Korean Delegation) 12

OED Rockies Mixer 12

Think Global Institute Mentor Session 12

Supply Chain Management Series 10

OED Board of Directors Meeting 8

Total 596

PAGE 11 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

@CommonsonChampa #CommonsDenver

Social Growth - #CommonsDenver

COMMONS TWITTER

Total followers: 1,566

An average of 6 new followers per day

538 new followers since the beginning of 2016

8024 profile visits in Q1

232.6k tweet impressions in Q1

424 times Commons tweets were retweeted and 782 tweets were liked in Q1

COMMONS FACEBOOK

Total Page likes: 755, grew from 399 on opening day

Saw an increase of 116 page likes since the beginning of 2016

Since opening day, The Commons social media following has grown by 328%.

Top post in Q1: "Two #Colorado women make the Forbes 30 Under 30 List! #ColoradoProud http://ow.ly/WJ3lT" reached 645 people and had 218 likes

PAGE 12 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

What The Community Has to Say About The Commons

“Overall: Five Stars. I just discovered this place! First as a meetup venue, and then from an article in Built in Colorado. The lounge area is large and free to the public. They have

screaming fast WiFi and are located close to a Light Rail stop.”

-- Cara Jo, Founder of GDI Boulder Denver

“This is a great community resource and an excellent place to get inspired to take your business to the next level. They have free WiFi, workstations, conference rooms, and even free

coffee!”

-- Kyle Haynam, Google Business Review

“Comcast is proud to provide a multi-gig environment, fiber connectivity, and unlimited internet access that will scale as the space grows. There will be unique opportunities to engage

with the technology of the future.”

-- Cindy Parsons, Vice President of Public Relations, Comcast

“The Commons on Champa is about turning our entrepreneurs’ ideas into successful startups and small businesses and setting them on a solid path to grow right here in Denver,”

-- Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Denver, Colorado

“The entrepreneurial energy in Downtown Denver is palpable, and it’s clear that we are building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that makes the center city the absolute

best place to start and grow a business. Through programs and events like Denver Startup Week and The Commons on Champa, we are partnering with the community to create the

resources and tools necessary to help business builders succeed.”

-Tami Door, President and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership

PAGE 13 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

"For the Community, By the Community" - Community Partners

The Commons on Champa is supported by a variety of community partners. The following companies have helped bring the Commons to life:

FOUNDING PARTNERS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HELPED BUILD THE SPACE

Advanced Flooring Solutions

Arapahoe Sign Arts

City and County of Denver

Colorado Impact Fund

Colorado Technology Association

Comcast

Cooley

Cultivator Advertising & Design

Denver Office of Economic Development

Domino Strategies

Downtown Denver Partnership

Drumbeat

Dynalectric

Extreme Fire Protection

Family Environmental

Four Winds Interactive

Green and Ever Growing

GTRI

ISTONISH

JG Johnson Architects

JPMorgan Chase

Liberty Global

LINX LLLP

mc squares

NAI Shames Makovsky

Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

Oblong

Orion Environmental

PCL Construction Services, Inc.

Polsinelli

Quarterly Forum

RK Mechanical

Something Independent

SpireMedia

Teknion

Thaddeus Brooks

US Bank

Zenman

PAGE 14 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

COMMUNITY PARTNERS COMMITTED TO PROGRAMMING & ONGOING SUPPORT

Brad Feld

The Commons on Champa is looking for additional Community Partners to help support ongoing

programming and support the ongoing mission of the Commons. If you’re interested, please contact Amy

Wofford at amy@thecommons.co.

TENANTS AT THE COMMONS

PAGE 15 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

News & Press

Built In Colorado | Escape the office: 5 free, wifi-enabled places to work in Colorado

Whether your company has an awesome office or you’ve got a sweet setup at home, sometimes it can be nice to

head somewhere different to get work done. Here are a few unique — and free — spaces where you can shake

things up.

The Denver startup community is nearing a tipping point

If you were looking for a convenient, if over-simplified, symbol of Denver, you could do worse than its Union

Station. Its age might surprise you — first built in 1880 — and yet inside its newer and changing more than you

might expect. You can say the same about Denver’s startup community, a network of technologists, entrepreneurs

and the people who serve them in a bid to bolster the Mile High City’s future.

Confluence Denver | Special Report: Creating a Prosperous City

With over 70,000 residents and an economy that employs more than 120,000, downtown Denver is the economic

hub for its greater metropolitan area, as well as the Rocky Mountain region -- and business and city leaders intend

to keep it that way.

WeWork | Why Are Millennials Flocking to Denver?

One reason why so many young entrepreneurs are headed to Denver is the opportunity to find colleagues, secure

funding, and build networking opportunities through Denver Startup Week, the largest free startup conference in

the nation. Another big draw is The Commons on Champa, a public campus for entrepreneurship that attracts new

founders to its free workshops.

Inc. | The 10 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs

Under 35 and looking to start a business this year? NerdWallet has some location suggestions. With the job market

gasping its way back to life and so many young people nursing the knocks and bruises they received navigating the

choppy waters of the post-Great Recession economy, many millennials are now looking for the safe harbor of a

stable job.

DataFox | The 10 Cities that are Secretly Great for Tech Grads

Sure, Silicon Valley and New York get attention for being the best places to work in tech. But for new graduates

looking for growth and mentorship, hoping to stand out, and facing their first student loan bills, paying $2,000 a

month in rent is less than ideal. As college seniors are weighing offers, negotiating salaries and trying to decide

where they'll be after graduation, DataFox crunched the numbers to find 10 cities with the networking

opportunities, affordability and growth potential that should put them on the radar of any new grad who wants to

work in tech.

Technical.ly | Meet these 9 Denver innovation leaders

On Feb. 3, Mitisek will be leading an innovation case study at Tomorrow Tour Denver, a stop at The Commons on

Champa on a national event series inspired by Comcast NBCUniversal and organized by Technical.ly. The series

PAGE 16 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

aims to explore and document how technology and innovation converge to strengthen the city. A free evening

roundtable and networking event will connect local entrepreneurs, technologists, policymakers and new thinkers

for discussions about the future of innovation and entrepreneurship. A key focus will be how to better articulate

Denver’s innovation stories and improve the economy.

Commerce.Gov | Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker Addresses Commercial and Environmental Impact of Paris

Climate Agreement

Secretary Pritzker’s Denver’s visit was part of the “State of the Union: Cabinet in Your Community” road tour, an

extension of President Obama’s ongoing conversation with the American people about our nation’s remarkable

progress and the Administration’s efforts to continue to move the country forward. The armchair discussion was

held at the Commons on Champa, Denver’s public campus for entrepreneurship. ...read more

Denver Business Journal | Denver startup center targets new entrepreneurs, women and vets in 2016

A seven-month-old space for Denver startups plans to evolve in 2016 into more of a resource center and connection

point for would-be entrepreneurs. The Commons on Champa is a nonprofit co-working and event venue that the

city, Downtown Denver Partnership and the Colorado Technology Association opened in May. It’s launching a

series of programs meant to make startup advice and connections available to more entrepreneurs — especially

first-timers, women and military veterans. ...read more

Zipcar | 10 Reasons Why Denver is the Place To Be Right Now

Wanna start your own biz? We've got you. Step into any Mile High City coffee shop and you’re sure to find a

startup, well, starting up. Rub elbows with the area’s most forward-thinking entrepreneurs at Denver Startup Week,

or check out one of the city’s many innovative coworking spaces. Our faves: The Commons on Champa (it’s huge

and has tons of workshops and speakers) and Green Spaces, which is geared specifically toward socially and

environmentally conscious endeavors. ...read more

9News | Public Campus for Entrepreneurship opens Wednesday

The Commons on Champa was founded to support startups across all industries and to expand access to

entrepreneurship, ensuring Denver remains one of the best cities in the country to start and grow a business.

Denver Business Journal | Denver hub for startups, entrepreneurs opens today

The Commons on Champa campus is 20,000 square feet in a city-owned building at 1245 Champa St. dedicated to

holding events and being a low-cost resource for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Denver Post | New city-backed facility targeting startups opens as The Commons

Startups have a new place to get started in Denver with Wednesday's opening of The Commons on Champa, a

campus aimed at helping local entrepreneurs, from artists and food-truck owners to developers of consumer

products and mobile apps.

Multichannel News | Comcast Wi-Fi Net Surpasses 10M Hotspots

Comcast announced Monday that its Wi-Fi network now spans more than 10 million quasi-public hotspots

nationwide. Schaefer also listed out 10 “favorite locations” where people are using Comcast’s Wi-Fi network to

connect, including The Commons on Champa in Denver.

PAGE 17 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400

There are many exciting things happening each day at The Commons –

Here’s a little preview!

Follow us on Social Media to see the stories taking

place each day at The Commons:

@commonsonchampa on Twitter

The Commons on Champa on Facebook

PAGE 18 | MAR 2016 www.thecommons.co | 1245 Champa Street | 720-484-5400